But they protested against those who had turned from the truth to 'tradition'. They protested that we should go BACK to Scripture, and proceeded to do so. They were much more likely to be right than those who followed a vague tradition
Your case is obviously false
Because many did NOT go back to Scripture. But those who did were thinking rightly. Scripture had been left far behind.
And the gates of Hades have not prevailed against it, But they had a good try in Roman Catholicism
He prayed that they might be one in spirit, not 'one' in false doctrine.
o
The basis is very simple. It was on apostolic truth, from which the Roman Catholic church (and others) has gone sadly astray)..
HOW COULD THE BIBLE NOT EXIST AT THE tIME OF AUTHORSHIP?
But the ONLY pillar and support of the early church that we have is found in the pages of Scripture.
The Bible alone tells us what the Apostles taught. We do not want the delusions of later tradition,
Ah but there you go astray. THEY did nor hold the teaching of the Apostle, as a survey shows quite clearly. We have to go back to the Scriptures to find what the Apostles taught. They alone CONTAIN the teaching of the Apostles. Sola scriptura is the only safe way to ensure we are following the apostles doctrine,
To continuously state that Protestantism logically should exist merely because you believe that Catholicism was and is in error does not answer any questions. This is circular reasoning and very much begs the question one must give the reason as to why the Catholic Church either is a newly formed false religion or fell into error at one point. One must also be capable of pulling up historic sources that can show that the protestant interpretation of the gospels is correct to simply state that it is correct because when one reads it in spirit that is the result is fully illogical. In fact such use of faulty reason further begs deeper questions that have been addressed numerous times but have been chosen to either be skirted over or be fully ignored. Such as how would one know which interpretation of scripture is the correct one if it is all up to the individual to be in truth without any external guide. In fact such vague understandings of preservation of truth is the exact reason Protestantism is not never was and will never be a "church" in the general sense meaning an organized religion but rather was a schismatic splinter movement from the start that only began to and continues to divide more and more by the second. I 100% guarantee you if Martin Luther or John Calvin walked into a modern ECLA(liberal Lutheran) or modern megachurch they would run back to the nearest confessional as soon as possible. I'll finish this reply with a quote from the reformers Martin Luther on the importance of the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Christ, ..was the only Son of Mary, and the Virgin Mary bore no children besides Him... "brothers" really means "cousins" here, for Holy Writ and the Jews always call cousins brothers. (Sermons on John, chapters 1-4.1537-39)
God did not derive his divinity from Mary; but it does not follow that it is therefore wrong to say that God was born of Mary, that God is Mary's Son, and that Mary is God's mother...She is the true mother of God and bearer of God...Mary suckled God, rocked God to sleep, prepared broth and soup for God, etc. For God and man are one person, one Christ, one Son, one Jesus. not two Christs. . .just as your son is not two sons...even though he has two natures, body and soul, the body from you, the soul from God alone. (On the Councils and the Church, 1539).
It is a sweet and pious belief that the infusion of Mary's soul was effected without original sin; so that in the very infusion of her soul she was also purified from original sin and adorned with God's gifts, receiving a pure soul infused by God; thus from the first moment she began to live she was free from all sin" (Sermon: "On the Day of the Conception of the Mother of God," 1527).
(Luther on the immaculate conception)
The veneration of Mary is inscribed in the very depths of the human heart. (Sermon, September 1,[SIZE=-1]
1522).
It is the consolation and the superabundant goodness of God, that man is able to exult in such a treasure. Mary is his true Mother, Christ is his brother. God is his father. (Sermon. Christmas, 1522) [SIZE=-1]Mary is the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of all of us even though it was Christ alone who reposed on her knees...If he is ours, we ought to be in his situation; there where he is, we ought also to be and all that he has ought to be ours, and his mother is also our mother. (Sermon, Christmas, 1529). [/SIZE]Whoever possesses a good (firm) faith, says the Hail Mary without danger! Whoever is weak in faith can utter no Hail Mary without danger to his salvation. (Sermon, March 11, 1523).
[SUB][SUP]
[/SUP][/SUB]
[/SIZE]